Category Archives: felon voting
“Mike Bloomberg raises $16 million to allow former felons to vote in Florida”
WaPo:
Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg and his team have raised more than $16 million to pay the court fines and fees of nearly 32,000 Black and Hispanic Florida voters with felony convictions, an effort aimed at boosting turnout… Continue reading
“How Republicans Undermined Ex-Felon Voting Rights in Florida: It’s a cautionary tale about the messy process of citizen-led ballot initiatives and how a dominant political party can exert its power”
NYT:
When voters passed the referendum, known as Amendment 4, civil rights groups celebrated what was billed as a potentially game-changing expansion of the electorate in the nation’s biggest battleground state. White people like Mr. Gruver represent a majority… Continue reading
“Trump and Biden’s Florida polls highlights stakes of 2020 voting rights for ex-felons”
Josh Douglas at NBC Think.
Breaking: Divided 11th Circuit, Sitting En Banc, Upholds Florida Law Making It Harder for Ex Felons To Vote without Acknowledging That Some Ex-Felons Do Not Know How Much They Owe in Fees and Fines
You can find the 200 pages of opinions and rulings at this link.
From one of the dissents (Judge Martin):
Second, even if a returning citizen is able to determine his original LFO obligation, then “[d]etermining the amount that has… Continue reading
“Some, but not all, felons win back the right to vote in NC 2020 elections”
News & Observer:
A new judicial ruling will open the door for some felons on probation or parole to vote in North Carolina’s elections this fall.The ruling isn’t final, so it’s possible that it could still change between now and… Continue reading
“Court struggles with felon vote in Fla., case could determine participation in November”
Pete Williams reports on the 11th Circuit en banc oral argument today.
“Iowa Governor Expands Voting Rights”
Kira Lerner for The Appeal:
In the latest victory in the movement against criminal disenfranchisement, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued an executive order Wednesday restoring voting rights to most people convicted of felonies who have completed their sentences.… Continue reading
Two Trump-Appointed 11th Circuit Judges Who Sat on Florida Supreme Court When It Heard Oral Argument Over Meaning of Florida Disenfranchisement Amendment Won’t Recuse in Disenfranchisement Case Current Before the 11th Circuit
Here is the order. The judges left the Florida court before it issued the opinion, and the judges claim that the cases are not related enough to merit recusal.
Mark Joseph Stern made the case earlier that this is wrong:… Continue reading
“LeBron James group to donate $100,000 toward paying Florida ex-felons’ fines so they can vote”
“Voting Rights For Georgians In Legal Debt Left Unclear By State Agencies”
Johnny Kauffman for WABE.
Breaking: Supreme Court, on Divided Vote, Refuses to Vacate Stay in Florida Felon Reenfranchisement Case, Meaning Potentially Hundreds of Thousands of Former Felons Reenfranchised by Florida Voters Won’t Get to Vote in November
With at least three of the Court’s four liberal Justices dissenting, the Supreme Court refused to intervene in a case involving Florida felon voting rights, with big implications for voting in November.
The procedural path of this case is complex,… Continue reading
Florida Files Opposition at Supreme Court in Felon Reenfranchisement Case
The brief relies heavily on the question of timing. So both sides are pushing the Purcell Principle to support their position in this case.
The brief is also remarkably dismissive of the rights of felons, saying they are not qualified… Continue reading
Paul Smith and Mark Gaber: “Florida Voters Ask Supreme Court to Lift Stay”
The following is a guest post from Paul Smith and Mark Gaber of the Campaign Legal Center:
In a one-line decision issued on July 1, the en banc Eleventh Circuit stayed a district court order enjoining Florida’s “pay-to-vote” system for… Continue reading